Council of World Cultures presents “The Diversity of Hamtramck” March 3

The HFC Council of World Cultures presents “The Diversity of Hamtramck: A Multi-Ethnic City” on Thursday March 3, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Please register for this Zoom event

Current Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib, an HFC alumnus, and his predecessor, Karen Majewski, who served as mayor from 2006-21, will speak about the past, present, and future about one of the most diverse small cities in the state of Michigan.

A brief history of Hamtramck’s diversity

The namesake of French-Canadian soldier Jean-François Hamtramck, the city of Hamtramck is located in Wayne County, surrounded mostly by Detroit. In the early 20th century, thousands of European immigrants, particularly Polish immigrants, came to the United States, attracted by the flourishing automotive industry. Hamtramck became a vibrant center of Polish-American life and culture.

In the early 21st century, Hamtramck attracted new immigrants from the Middle East, particularly from Yemen, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. In 2015, Hamtramck became the first city in U.S. history to have a city council that is majority Muslim. In late 2021, Hamtramck citizens elected Ghalib, the first Muslim mayor in the city’s history. (Majewski had been the last in a line of mayors of Polish descent that spanned more than 100 years). With a Muslim mayor and an all-Muslim city council, Hamtramck has become the first municipality in America to be governed by Muslim-Americans.

For questions or more information about this event, contact Cassandra Fluker at crfluker@hfcc.edu.